Air pressure means for urging paper web against a rotating cylinder



Oct. 11, 1960 A. R. STQBB AIR PRESSURE MEANS FOR URGING PAPER WEBAGAINST A ROTATING CYLINDER Original Filed Dec. 16. 1957 mum/roe- ANTONR. STOBB BKMW United States Patent AIR PRESSURE MEANS FOR URGING PAPERWEB AGAINST A ROTATING CYLINDER Anton R. Stabb, 3507 S. Elmwood Drive,Racine, Wis.

Original application Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. 'No. 703,028. Divided and thisapplicationJune 15, 1959 Ser. No. 820,502

5 Claims. Cl. 226-95 This is a division of US. application Serial No.703,028,

filed December 16, 1957, and now Patent No. 2,899,199. In the parentapplication, it is stated that it is desirable to maintain a selectedtension on a web of paper passing through a press. With tension control,superimposed colors of multi-color printing are accurately registered.However, in using a roll drive for the web, the web is trained over acylinder which moves the web upon rotation of the cylinder and when theweb is pressed against the cylinder. To physically contact the web, aswith another roller, could smear the fresh ink on the web.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide anair-pressure means for controlling a web of paper on a rotating cylinderso that the fresh ink on the paper, and the paper itself, are notphysically, on the outer surface thereof, contacted.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an air-pressurehold-down means which speeds the drying of the ink on the printed web.

Still a further object is to provide an air-pressure holddown meanswhich is automatically responsive to the pressure, and which isadjustable for providing selected pressures.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading thefollowing specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the inventive means for maintaining aweb of paper in tight contact with a roll over which the paper istrained.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. land showing a fragment of the latter.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the inventive means of holding the web of paper tothe roller 12 so that the web can be properly tensioned as desired. Inthis arrangement, it will be seen that the roller 12 has an air chamber56 disposed along the length of the roller and partially around thecircumference of the roller to be in close proximity to the roller at apoint where the web of paper is also wrapped around the circumference ofthe roller 12. When air is introduced into the chamber 56 by means of apipe or hose 57, the interior of the chamber 56 is pressurized such thatthe air pressure is exposed to the paper 11 to press the latter in firmcontact with the cylinder 12 so that the friction between the paper andthe cylinder is at a desired amount so that the paper will always be inrolling contact with the cylinder even though the paper will be placedunder tension as mentioned. In order that the air pressure within thechamber 56 be fully or virtually fully eflective on the paper 11, it isshown that there be provided pressure bars 58 along the length of thechamber 56 and throughout the width of the paper 11. lhe bars 58 areshown to be urged downwardly toward the ICC paper by means of acompression spring 59 which is contnolled in its tension by a pressurebar 61 and a screw 62 threaded into the vessel 56 by the nut 63 shown inthe top of the vessel 56. Also, a retained bolt 64 is shown to pro-.ject through the side of the vessel 56 and engage a slot 66 in the sideof the pressure bar and thereby retain the latter within the cut-out 67in the vessel 56. Thus, by adjusting'the screw 62, the spring 59 willexert more or less force, downwardly on the pressure bar 58 to urge thelatter toward the paper 11. Then, when air is introduced into the vessel56, its outlet-is under the pressure bars 58 which are thus slightlylifted by the escaping pressurized air, and the balance between theenergy of the spring 59 and the escaping air will determine the spacingof the tips 68 of the pressure bars 58 from the surface of the paper 11.Of course, it is sometimes preferred that the pressure bar tips 68 bespaced from the paper so that there is no contact'of the paper whichmight have been just printed. Also, to close off the ends of the vessel56, end closures 69 are attached to the vessel to extend therefrom anddown into contact with the circumference of the roller 12.

It should thus be understood that compressed air can then be disposedimmediately over the surface of the paper 11 as the latter travels inrolling contact with the roller 12, and the pressure of the air willhold the paper in exact rolling contact with the roller 12 as desired.Of course, the vessel 56 and its related parts are then substituted forthe member 22 which also serves the function of holding the paper to theroller 12.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it should be obvious that certain changes could be madetherein, and the scope of this invention should, therefore, be limitedonly by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A means for controlling a web of paper, comprising a rotatablecylinder for supporting said web of paper when the latter is wrappedpartly over the circumference of said cylinder, a compressed air chambermounted adjacent the circumference of said cylinder and having anopening exposed to said circumference, and air sealing means movablymounted on said chamber at the edge of said opening for movement towardand away from said circumference to be spaced selectable distancestherefrom and from said web of paper to cause compressed air in saidchamber to force said paper onto said circumference, said air sealingmeans being exposed to said compressed air for urging said air sealingmeans away from said paper.

2. A means for controlling a web of paper, comprising a rotatablymounted cylinder for supporting said web of paper when the latter iswrapped partly over the circumference of said cylinder and with thelateral edges of said web of paper spaced inwardly from the ends of saidcylinder, a compressed air chamber mounted adjacent said cylinder andhaving an opening exposed to said circumference, fluid sealing barsattached to said chamber at the opposite sides of said opening andacross the width of said web of paper for controlling the air passagebetween said chamber and said Web of paper, and means on the otheropposite sides of said chamber and extending to said cylinder atlocations lateral of said web of paper for fluid sealing with saidcylinder.

3. A means for controlling a web of paper, comprising a notatablymounted cylinder for supporting said web of paper when the latter iswrapped partly over the circumference of said cylinder and with thelateral edges of said web of paper spaced inwardly from the ends of saidcylinder, a compressed air chamber mounted adjacent said cylinder andhaving an opening exposed to said circumference, fluid sealing barsmovably attached to said chamber at the opposite sides of said openingand across the width of said web of paper for controlling the airpassage between said chamber and said web of paper, adjustable means forurging said bars toward said web of paper, and means on the otheropposite sides of said chamber and extending to said cylinder atlocations laterally of said web of paper for fluid sealing with saidcylinder.

4. A means for controlling a web of paper, comprising a rotatablymounted cylinder for supporting said web of paper when the latter iswrapped partly over the circumference of said cylinder and with thelateral edges of said web of paper spaced inwardly from the ends of saidcylinder, a compressed air chamber mounted adjacent said cylinder andhaving an opening exposed to said circumference, fluid sealing barsmovably attached to said chamber for movement toward and away from saidcircumference for controlling the air passage between said chamber andsaid web of paper, and spring means engaged with said bars for urgingsaid bars toward said web of paper. 5. A means for controlling a web ofpaper, comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder for supporting said webof paper when the latter is wrapped partly over the circumference ofsaid cylinder and with the lateral edges of said web of paper spacedinwardly from the ends of said cylinder, a compressed air chambermounted adjacent said cylinder and having an opening exposed toward saidcircumference, fluid sealing bars attached to said cham ber at theopposite sides of said opening and across the 7 width of said web ofpaper and being movable toward References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Van Derhoef Jan. 10, 1939 2,289,753Capstaff July 14, 1942

